Post Views: 785 Alaqua Animal Refuge, the renowned non-profit organization dedicated to providing shelter and care to animals in need, today announced a full calendar of October events designed to bring together animal lovers and the community. With a focus on family fun, entertainment, and animal adoption opportunities, Alaqua is excited to unveil its extensive […]

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Post Views: 483 Alaqua Animal Refuge announces a new holiday event, “Christmas in the Courtyard,” to be held Saturday, December 10 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the organization’s new home. The event is open to the public and the entire family is welcome to participate in the festivities that will take place at the […]

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Post Views: 436 The Harbor Rats Charitable Foundation, an organization founded on giving back to their community, has chosen Alaqua Animal Refuge as one of their beneficiaries. “As we were looking to expand our reach and choose another charity to add as a beneficiary, Alaqua was a clear and unanimous choice” said Marvin Holthouser, chairman […]

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Post Views: 403 Alaqua Animal Refuge announced today that it is releasing six new episodes as part of its podcast series “Laurie Hood’s Difference Makers,” now in season two. Hosted by Alaqua Founder Laurie Hood, the podcast series celebrates the work of advocates from around the world—the “difference makers” who have dedicated their lives to […]

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Post Views: 213 New Partnership Formed between Alaqua Animal Refuge and Healing Hoof Steps Equine Assisted Therapy Alaqua Animal Refuge and Healing Hoof Steps have established a new partnership to provide equine assisted therapy to individuals struggling with mental health issues in our community. The partnership between the two organizations is an exciting extension to […]

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Post Views: 205 Nine dogs that had been kept confined in rusty wire crates their entire life have been rescued from a South Alabama property. Alaqua Animal Refuge answered a call from a rescue partner seeking help with the neglected animals that were found two days ago in freezing and filthy conditions. Alaqua’s team discovered […]

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Post Views: 197 Throughout the month of December, Christmas light lovers can visit the quaint community of Grayton Beach and participate in a beloved holiday tradition for a charitable cause. The brainchild of Brittney Kelley, co-founder and CEO of Tribe Kelley, Grayt Lights was created to help bring awareness to mental health during the holidays […]

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Post Views: 210 Alaqua Animal Refuge recently responded to an animal neglect case in Dale County, Alabama with the rescue of 19 rat terrier mixed-breed dogs. The owner of the animals sold their home and left numerous puppies, cats, and dogs behind to fend for themselves. The new homeowner realized the situation, but wasn’t amenable […]

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Post Views: 299 Alaqua Animal Refuge announced today the opening of its new Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, located on five acres within their original Whitfield Road property in Freeport, Florida. The Alaqua Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a state and federally permitted facility, providing a much-needed resource of rehabilitating sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife. Permits were […]

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Post Views: 237 This past Friday, Alaqua Animal Refuge assisted the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) with the rescue of 77 animals from a severe neglect situation in Laurel Hill, Florida. The owner of Fyre Branch, located in Okaloosa County (FL), surrendered and signed over all but one of the animals to Alaqua. The remaining […]

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Post Views: 193 Alaqua Animal Refuge is proud to announce and welcome Jeff Jacob as its new Executive Director effective immediately. Jacob will be responsible for helping to lead the organization during an unprecedented growth period as Alaqua relocates to their permanent home, a multimillion-dollar facility with expanded programs and services. Jacob was selected for […]

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Post Views: 232 Announcing 10th Annual Rosemary Beach Unleashed Festival to Benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge The 10th Annual Rosemary Beach Unleashed will be held Sunday, November 22 from 2-4 pm at the St. Augustine Green in Rosemary Beach®. Presented by the Rosemary Beach Foundation, this fun, pet-friendly event is free to the public and features […]

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Post Views: 263 Equine Assisted Therapy Program to Support Military Veterans Alaqua Animal Refuge has officially partnered with The HOPE Project to offer equine assisted therapy to military veterans and service members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The partnership was a natural fit as both use rescue horses for hope, healing, and teaching. Alaqua’s […]

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Post Views: 224 Alaqua Animal Refuge Reopens to the Public This Friday Alaqua Animal Refuge has announced it will reopen its doors to the public beginning this Friday, October 30 from 12 to 5 pm. For the near future, the Refuge will only be open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each week from 12 […]

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Post Views: 240 Today, Alaqua Animal Refuge announced it has advanced the stages of its permanent move to their future home as immediately as possible. The decision to fast-track the relocation was made with careful thought and much deliberation with their leadership team and board of directors, after Hurricane Sally caused devastating flooding to the […]

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Post Views: 261 Alaqua Animal Refuge Evacuates Animals from Refuge Due to Flooding Impacts from Hurricane Sally Alaqua Animal Refuge made a swift and difficult decision to evacuate animals from the shelter due to massive rain, heavy wind, and widespread flooding from now category 2 Hurricane Sally–which is still hammering the Florida Panhandle at this […]

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Post Views: 280 Alaqua Animal Refuge Rescues Animals From Grim Environment in Geneva County, AL   Yesterday, Alaqua Animal Refuge traveled to Geneva, Alabama and assisted in the rescue and removal of animals that were living in a horrific environment. The scene was described as “hell on earth” as animals were left to fend for themselves […]

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Post Views: 304 Alaqua Animal Refuge Cares for 24 Dogs from Calhoun County Cruelty Case Continues Mission for Animals and Their Owners During Pandemic Even though the world has changed, animals are still being abused and are in dire need of help. This past week, Alaqua Animal Refuge assisted the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) […]

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Post Views: 232 Alaqua Animal Refuge Takes Proactive Steps Amid COVID-19 Precautions; Offers a Win-Win for Those at Home  Alaqua Animal Refuge is taking a proactive approach to do their part to assist with minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). With the health and safety of staff, volunteers, and visitors as priority, Alaqua has implemented […]

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Post Views: 280 Alaqua Animal Refuge joined the Bissell Pet Foundation, along with nine rescue organizations from across the United States, to rescue 180 dogs in danger of euthanasia from St. Landry Animal Rescue in Louisiana this week. Rescue organizations came from states across the country including California, Michigan, Tennessee, and Florida. Cathy Bissell, founder […]

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Post Views: 307 Alaqua Animal Refuge Announces 2020 Sip N Shop: ~ Celebrating a Decade of Sipping ~  Alaqua Animal Refuge announced today that it will host its 10th Annual Sip N Shop event on Friday, April 3 at Emeril’s Coastal Italian in Miramar Beach beginning at 11 a.m. Presented locally by Insurance Zone, the event […]

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Post Views: 374 Alaqua Animal Refuge Advocates for Animals at Humane Lobby Day in Tallahassee    Earlier this week, Alaqua Animal Refuge hosted a group of advocates from the Florida Panhandle to attend the 2020 Humane Lobby Day in Tallahassee. The biggest day of the year for animals and animal advocates, the day-long event was devoted […]

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Post Views: 217    This past October, Alaqua Animal Refuge Founder Laurie Hood traveled to Grand Bahama Island on a mission with Animal Wellness Action (AWA) to assess three farms and their surviving animals that were almost completely demolished by Hurricane Dorian back in August of this year. The catastrophic category 5 hurricane wreaked havoc […]

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Post Views: 359 Alaqua Animal Refuge’s inaugural Animoré weekend was truly a festival to celebrate the love of animals. Showcasing two epic events — the 6th Annual 100 Point and Cult Wine Dinner and the first ever Barn Jam — the weekend took place October 18 and 19 in Freeport, Florida and raised over $1,100,000 […]

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Post Views: 230 The Animoré Weekend is just 2 weeks away and we couldn’t be more excited! The 6th Annual 100 Point and Cult Wine Dinner on Friday night is SOLD OUT! Tickets are still available for the Inaugural Barn Jam on Saturday, including a VIP option (which includes complimentary beverages, food, and preferred seating). The Barn Jam will […]

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Post Views: 186 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Lass” Lass is a beautiful seven year old Shepherd. This mature gal is full of love and so ready to find a family to call her own. Lass loves going for walks and making sure she says hi to everyone she meets. Be ready for […]

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Post Views: 169 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pets of the Week “Dreamer, Darla, Gunner, and Alvin”  Dreamer (9 years old ), Darla (9 years old ), Gunner (10 years old ), and Alvin (11 years old) are all The Chinese Crested Dogs. The breed is an alert dog that enjoys human companionship. They are funny little […]

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Post Views: 218 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Beth” Beth is 4 year old, American Bulldog mix. She is about the sweetest gal that you will ever meet! She gave birth to a litter of seven healthy puppies here at the Refuge, and has been a fabulous mother! Beth will be weaning her […]

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Post Views: 232 Saving Faith — A Story of the Power of Compassion, Empathy, and True Human Goodness Freeport, FL (December 21, 2017) — The heart of Alaqua Animal Refuge’s mission is rescuing and saving animals’ lives—providing shelter, safety, and second chances to thousands of animals every year. At the core of Alaqua’s work is […]

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Post Views: 480 Barks, Baubles & Brews Event Raises Over $2K for Alaqua Animal Refuge Miramar Beach, Fla.– On May 23, The Dressing Room Boutique, Sirens Lingerie & Swim, Wren’s Village Boutique, and Chapeau & Chocolat, four locally based, upscale boutiques, hosted “Barks, Baubles & Brews,” benefiting Alaqua Animal Refuge. The all-day event included designer […]

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Post Views: 274 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Always” Her name is “Always”- she is beautiful, healthy, full of sweet love and she could be he could be your friend for “always”. However, the reality is she will probably live at Alaqua “always” because of something she can’t change – being a black […]

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Post Views: 411 Ron Adams Announces Special Benefit Performance at Trebeaché on November 18 Freeport, FL (November 9, 2016) —ERA American Real Estate and Beach Dreamin’ 30A will host a special benefit concert featuring Ron Adams and The Memphis Echoes, performing “The Shadow of a King” — a tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ […]

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Post Views: 206 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Sophie Girl”   When Sophie Girl first arrived at Alaqua, she was shy and unsure of her new surroundings. Soon she regained her confidence and now loves everyone she meets! She is a 4 year old Black Lab and weighs about 67 lbs. Currently, she […]

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Post Views: 288 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Dorrie” Dorrie is a 6 month old Lab Mix who is eager to find a family to call her own. She arrived at Alaqua when a Good Samaritan found her wandering a busy highway. She was then diagnosed with a serious illness, but thanks to […]

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Post Views: 273 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Brix” Brix is just about the cutest little guy at the Refuge. His big ears and sweet personality have won over the hearts of everyone he meets! He is a 5 year old Chihuahua and at just 6.5lbs, he would be a perfect companion for […]

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Post Views: 290 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Penny Rose”   Penny Rose is a very sweet girl who loves everyone that she meets! She is good with kids and other dogs and would be a perfect family dog. This happy girl loves to give hugs & kisses and to just be near […]

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Post Views: 224 Alaqua is the proud recipient of the ASPCA’s Equine Facility Matching Grant (Freeport, Florida) – April 23, 2016 – Alaqua Animal Refuge is proud to be one of fifteen recipients of a matching grant for new paddock fencing for our rescue horses awarded by the ASPCA.  The ASPCA will match each donation […]

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Post Views: 312 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Bandit Joe”   Bandit Joe is a Beagle/Bassett Mix who is about 3 years old and would make a perfect companion for anyone with an active lifestyle. He has the soulful eyes of a Hound, but also a true Hound Dog nose which has him […]

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Post Views: 376 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “LeLe”   LeLe is a senior girl, but don’t tell her that! She has plenty of pep left in her step. LeLe is timid in nature, however, she loves human attention. She will quickly warm up and let her wonderful personality shine through.  She is […]

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Post Views: 328 Alaqua presents ASPCA’s Help a Horse Day (Freeport, Florida) – April 23, 2016 – Alaqua Animal Refuge, in partnership with the ASPCA is holding several events to raise awareness for our rescue horses and donkeys. All proceeds will benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge. With the help of Laura’s Horse and Pet Supply in […]

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Post Views: 356 6th Annual Chi Chi Miguel Sip N Shop to Benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge (Freeport, Florida) – April 8, 2016 – Alaqua Animal Refuge recently announced that the 6th Annual Chi Chi Miguel Sip N Shop event will be held on April 15, from 11 am until 2 pm, at The Market Shops […]

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Post Views: 356 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Meadow”  Sweet little Meadow is a two year old Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix and weighs about 10 lbs.  She came to the Refuge a few months ago with her five puppies and was a very good momma. Her puppies have all found their new homes and […]

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Post Views: 483 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Carolina” Carolina is a 3 year old Hound who was found homeless and hungry. Like most Hounds, Carolina has a gentle temperament and can make a great pet. She is well behaved, loves human contact and is very affectionate to her visitors. Because of her […]

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Post Views: 348 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Kristo”  Kristo is a sweet natured, medium size dog. He weighs 20 lbs and is a 2-1/2 year old Cattle Dog mix that was rescued from a county shelter. We think he spent quite a bit of time on the streets alone, because he is […]

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30A-life-shinesEvery day, The 30A Company works hard to promote our laid-back beach lifestyle and to help support and promote Gulf Coast businesses. But we’re also very passionate about giving back to our local and global community. Here are a few of the worthwhile projects that we’re very proud to be involved with: The Sonder Project 360 Blue, YOLO Board and The 30A Company are founding partners of The Sonder Project, a non-profit organization that supports high-impact, sustainable projects aimed at ending extreme poverty and hunger, locally, domestically and abroad. What does “Sonder” mean? Sonder is the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own — each with a story to tell and each with a story worth hearing. One of our endeavors is Project: feed, a program that helps vacation rental companies across the country to collect and redistribute the nonperishable food items routinely left behind by departing guests. We then work with a network of nationwide volunteers to redistribute the otherwise discarded food to local charities and food banks in each community. Over 100 vacation rental management companies have already joined the program, and the hope is that with minimal effort, Project: feed can help the vacation rental industry come together to make a real impact in the fight against hunger. In December 2015, our Sonder team completed construction of a new school in the village of Bagyambin, Burkina Faso, in Africa. The new school will make education possible for 77 students in the village, which is a huge milestone in a country where 78 percent of the population is illiterate. Our team also completed construction of a water well in the village of Nabadogogo, Burkina Faso. Prior to the completion of this project, the 3,500 people living in this village had to spend hours and walk miles to retrieve filthy water needed for survival. With a water well now in their community, they can enjoy clean water near their homes and use their most valuable resource — time — in more productive ways. To learn more about The Sonder Project, or to find out how you can get involved, please visit thesonderproject.org. 30A Sticker Donation Box Partnership with Alaqua Animal Refuge So far, we’ve given away over 990,000 of our famous round blue 30A stickers. Although we give them away for free in local businesses, donation boxes have been set up in many locations to encourage contributions to Alaqua Animal Refuge, our local no-kill animal shelter. Alaqua Animal Refuge is located on 10 gorgeous acres of farmland in Freeport, just north of Santa Rosa Beach. As many as 100 animals are adopted every month at Alaqua, and the refuge is home to as many as 250 animals at any given time. It costs about $80,000 a month to run Alaqua, which is dependent on private donations. To date, our 30A Sticker Donation Box partnership has raised over $130,000 for this special local charity. Any local business that would like to have an Alaqua Animal Refuge 30A Sticker donation box can call Alaqua at 850-880-6399. 30A Charity Golf Classic Created by The 30A Company’s co-founder Angela Ragsdale, the 30A Charity Golf Classic has raised over $73,000 for charities to date. Proudly sponsored by The Aesthetic Clinique and many other local businesses, 100 percent of all proceeds from this annual event go straight to help local charities in need. In its first year, $23,000 was given to Off The Mat and Shelter House Domestic Violence Center. In 2014, $27,000 was raised for Alaqua Animal Refuge. In 2015, $23,000 was raised for Food for Thought. In 2016, the tournament’s charity partner will be Children’s Volunteer Health Network. For more information about the 30A Charity Golf Classic, visit 30Acharitygolfclassic.com. 30A 10K & Fun Run Partnership Every Thanksgiving morning, thousands of runners gather in Rosemary Beach for the 30A 10K & 1-Mile Fun Run. The annual race, organized by Karen Meadows, Craig Baranowski and Amy Stoyles, benefits different local charities each year with a focus on families and children. To date, the 30A 10K has raised over $150,000, and The 30A Company is a proud sponsor of this new holiday tradition. For more information, visit 30a10k.com. In addition to these initiatives, The 30A Company frequently donates product, promotion, time and resources to many other wonderful local organizations and events, including South Walton Fire District, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, Food for Thought, Seaside Neighborhood School, Cultural Arts Alliance, The Repertory Theatre, Children’s Volunteer Health Network and many more. Get involved! To learn all about South Walton’s many wonderful local charities, please visit 30Acharities.com.

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Post Views: 166 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Eva”   Eva, an 8 year old Newfoundland, has been loved her whole life and has not known anything different until now. Both of her parents are sick and they do not have a lot of time left. They wanted to be sure that their […]

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Post Views: 152 There are certain stories that pull at your heartstrings and this definitely rings true with Lottah. Found as a stray in a nearby community, this beautiful 7 year old Boxer made her way to Alaqua as a midpoint in her journey to her forever home. Unfortunately, this may not be the case […]

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Post Views: 168 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Poppy” Poppy is a six year old Jack Russel/Chihuahua mix who was rescued from a local shelter after his owner suddenly passed away.  He arrived with his sister Marigold, and for a while, they were inseparable. They slowly began to grow apart after each having […]

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Post Views: 185 Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Gumbo”   This goofy boy is a Labrador Retriever/American Bulldog Mix and is approximately 1 ½ years old. Gumbo loves people, is affectionate and energetic, but still needs some training. He is a snuggle-bug and has convinced himself he is a lap dog! This playful […]

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